Working from home can feel isolating, especially if you’ve been used to the buzz of an office environment or the casual conversations that happen naturally in shared workspaces. The absence of colleagues to bounce ideas off and the lack of spontaneous brainstorming sessions can leave you feeling disconnected without you even realising it. Not to mention the distraction of the fridge or the urge to procrastinate and put a load of washing on.
Building connections with other business owners, freelancers, and professionals isn’t just about networking—it’s about creating a support system that understands the unique challenges of remote work and entrepreneurship. The right community can provide accountability, fresh perspectives, and that essential human connection that makes working alone feel less solitary.
Finding your tribe
Your business tribe isn’t necessarily made up of people who do exactly what you do. The most valuable connections often come from diverse backgrounds and industries. Start by identifying what you need from a community. Are you looking for accountability partners, potential collaborators, or simply people who understand the entrepreneurial mindset?
Consider joining communities that align with your values rather than just your industry. If sustainability matters to you, look for groups of environmentally conscious business owners. If you’re passionate about mental health, seek out communities where wellbeing is prioritised alongside profit. If originality is what you’re after, consider joining creative networks. These shared values often create stronger bonds than purely professional connections.
Online platforms like LinkedIn groups, Facebook communities, and industry-specific forums offer starting points, but don’t overlook local business groups that have moved online. Many traditional networking groups now offer virtual meetings, giving you access to local business owners without the commute.
Virtual coworking
Virtual coworking is evolving. Platforms like Focusmate, Caveday, and Flow Club and communities like Being Freelance and Freelancer Magazine offer structured sessions where you work alongside others or ‘body double’, creating the energy and accountability of a shared workspace from your home office.
These sessions typically involve brief introductions where participants share their goals for the session, followed by focused work time with cameras on and mics off. The presence of others working creates a sense of shared purpose and gentle accountability. You’re less likely to check social media or get distracted when others can see you working. It doesn’t feel like it should work, but it does.
Some virtual coworking communities organise themed sessions around specific types of work—writing sessions, admin blocks, or creative brainstorming. This allows you to work alongside people tackling similar challenges, even if you’re in different industries.
Industry groups
Joining industry-specific groups gives you access to specialised knowledge and keeps you updated on trends and changes affecting your field. These communities often share resources, discuss regulatory changes, and offer insights into best practices.
However, be selective about which industry groups you join. Look for communities that encourage genuine discussion rather than just promotional posts. The best groups have active moderation and clear guidelines that prioritise fostering meaningful conversation over sales pitches.
Professional associations often offer online events, webinars, and discussion forums. While membership fees might seem like an unnecessary expense, the access to industry reports, professional development opportunities, and networking events often justifies the cost, and the learning and inspiration will allow you to present yourself as an expert in your field.
Venture beyond your industry
Some of your most valuable business connections will come from outside your immediate industry. Entrepreneurs from different sectors often face similar challenges—cash flow management, team building, marketing on a budget—and can offer new perspectives on common business problems.
General business communities bring together people from various industries, creating opportunities to learn from different approaches to similar challenges. A restaurant owner’s approach to customer service might inspire new strategies for your consulting business. A product designer’s process for managing client feedback could improve your service delivery.
These cross-industry connections can also lead to new clients and unexpected collaboration opportunities. Partnerships between businesses in different sectors often create innovative solutions that wouldn’t emerge within industry silos. It’s much less likely that you’ll secure new business or find a collaboration opportunity if you only attend groups where everyone else does the same thing as you.
Maintaining focus and avoiding distraction
While business communities offer valuable benefits, they can also become time-consuming distractions if not managed properly. Set clear boundaries around your community involvement. Allocate specific times for engaging with groups rather than checking in constantly throughout the day if you feel like it’s becoming a distraction.
Choose quality over quantity when selecting communities. It’s better to be actively engaged in two or three groups than to be a passive member of ten. Focus on communities where you can both contribute and benefit, rather than just consuming content.
Be intentional about your participation. Before joining a discussion or attending an event, ask yourself what you hope to gain or contribute. This helps you stay focused on meaningful engagement rather than getting caught up in endless scrolling or superficial interactions.
Making it work for you
Building a sense of community while working from home requires intentional effort and patience. Start small, perhaps with one virtual coworking session per week and participation in a single online community. As you find your rhythm and identify what works for you, you can expand your involvement.
Remember that building genuine relationships takes time and effort. Don’t expect immediate results from your community involvement. Focus on being helpful to others, sharing your expertise generously, and showing genuine interest in their challenges and successes.
The goal isn’t to replicate the office environment exactly, but to create something better—a support network that understands your unique situation and helps you thrive as a remote worker or entrepreneur. With the right approach, working from home can connect you to a broader, more diverse business community than you might have access to in a traditional office setting.
The benefits of being part of business communities
Being part of a business community offers tangible benefits beyond social connection. You gain access to collective knowledge and experience that can help you avoid common mistakes and identify opportunities you might miss on your own. When you’re stuck on a problem, having a group of experienced business owners to consult can save you time and resources.
Communities also provide accountability. When you share your goals with a group, you’re more likely to follow through. This external accountability can be particularly valuable when working from home, where it’s easy to let deadlines slip or avoid challenging tasks.
The diversity of perspectives in a good business community can challenge your thinking and inspire innovation. Hearing how someone in a completely different industry solved a similar problem can spark ideas you wouldn’t have considered otherwise. This cross-pollination of ideas can often lead to creative solutions and new approaches to old challenges.
